Such Great Heights
by Authentic
Summary: [chapter 8 posted!] AU, Mia's royal status was kept a secret back home. Now, after she graduates, Michael returns from being on tour with his band, facing the downside of fame. Just read to find out, because it's hard to summarize.
1. Welcome Home

**[Author's Note]  
**Such Great Heights is actually a love song by The Postal Service. I'm sure that when you think The Princess Diaries you don't exactly think of the Postal Service, but I love the lyrics, and the song in general. And I figured instead of making this story revolve around an angsty/sad song, I'll put in some happiness. Don't mind my rambling, it's not like you actually have to read this anyway. I know I never do.  
I actually have written a few Princess Diaries fics before under a different penname, but I refuse to let anyone know my old penname. Feel free to guess, though.  
** [/Author's Note]**

_Can you sleep as the sound hits your ears one at a time?  
__An unspoken balance here,   
__Unabridged for so many years.  
__That I should stare at receivers to receive her isn't fair.  
__Don't worry I'll catch you.   
__Don't ever worry.  
__Your arms in mine, anytime.  
__I wouldn't trade anything,  
__you're__ still my everything.  
__To my surprise, before my eyes, you arrive.  
__I'm still breaking old habits when you pulled the wool over me.  
__I can see everything, remembering "jinx removing."  
__No need for reminding... you're still all that matters to me._

"I'll Catch You"; The Get Up Kids

**IMPORTANT:**

Okay. Background check: Mia's royal status was never publicized throughout high school, and she kept it secret, only telling select people [not including Michael]. So no one really knows about her being a princess besides her direct family, Lilly, Tina, and the entire Genovian public. Simple? I hope so.

**Such ****Great ********Heights  
****Chapter One  
**Welcome Home

_It's the one secret I've kept so well, the one secret that no one knows, besides a select few. It's a secret that drags me into some miniscule country called Genovia every vacation we had. It's a secret I wish I didn't have to hide, a secret I wish I didn't have to deal with it at all._

_ But I've wished several times that I wasn't a princess, and wishing is useless against fate. Some people have easy fates to deal with, like getting gray hair early, but I had to be the unlucky one with the weight of an entire country on my small, unbalanced shoulders._

_ And they kept it a secret from me for over half of my life, finding the time to tell me when I reached fourteen. And I kept it a secret from everyone else. The press didn't publicize the story at all, which was a surprise. I was all over the Genovian papers, and no where to be found in the local ones. I took this to my advantage and told no one about my unfortuinate heritage. I was embarrassed by it. But I somehow knew that one day, I wouldn't be able to keep the secret any longer._

I knocked on the Moscovitz's apartment door, following a routine I had followed so many Fridays in the past. I heard Pavlov barking and clawing at the door, which could really only mean one thing.

Michael was home again. Oh-so-fabulous-and-talented Michael, who's also not horribly unattractive. He got a record deal with his band, The Endings, a year ago, dropped out of Columbia, and went on tour for months. We started seeing him anywhere and everywhere. He'd become famous.

I haven't seen him since. Whenever he was home for a short period of time, I was in Genovia. And oh, how I'd missed him.

He opened the door and smiled the widest smile I've ever seen on his wonderful face, giving me a huge hug that made my knees weak and my heart pound.

I've had a crush on this guy since practically forever, and now he was hugging me. God, it was nice to get a hug from him. He still smelled of ivory soap, and I was happy he wasn't wearing cologne. He still seemed like the same old Michael, walking around in his pajama pants and no shirt, which always caused me to stare a bit too much.

I wonder if he'd think any different of me if he knew I was a princess.

"Hey, Mia, haven't seen you in a long time!" he exclaimed, hugging me. "Where've you been? Every time I came home, you had went somewhere on vacation or something."

"I've been really busy," I said, pulling away reluctantly. "But so've you, with your band and all! I see you guys all over the place!" He laughed modestly, and I was happy the rockstar world hadn't transformed him into some power-hungry superstar. But I guess Lilly's been thinking the same thing about me for a while now. "How long are you home for?"

"A long long time," he said, grinning.

"Where's Lilly?" I asked, noticing her absence.

"Oh, she went to go help Boris with something. It seems like I haven't missed much while I was gone. I mean, Lilly's _still _with Boris. Oh, how's Rocky?"

"A typical four-year-old. Loud, toy-obsessed, annoying, etc." He laughed and led me into the kitchen.

"Something to eat?" He opened the fridge and pulled out a can of soda, tossing it to me. Luckily, I caught it at the last minute. He took one for himself and chugged it down in an instant. "I missed being home. Touring is great for a while, but it gets old after a couple of months."

"Are you staying here?"

"Yeah. For now. I'm looking for an apartment somewhere near here so I don't have to bug my parents while I'm writing." The was a pause. "Hey, you guys just graduated, right? What college are you going to in the fall?"

"NYU." I replied, proud that I'd talked Grandmere out of making me go to a Genovian college. He nodded and smiled, not aware of my struggle.

"You're close to home, which is always a good thing. You're sharing an apartment with Lilly, right? Or at least that's what she told me." I nodded.

"Yep."

The phone rang and Michael ran for the phone, mumbling: "please, no fangirls this time". He answered it and was seemed substantially relived, and somewhat happy. He hung up with a smile on his face. "Looks like you're stuck with me till 11, Thermopolis."

"Huh?"

"Lilly's not getting back till 11, so you're stuck with me and Pavlov. Why? Something wrong?"

"No, not at all," I said truthfully. The clock read 9:00. I couldn't turn down two hours with the guy I've been crushing on since freshman year.

"I've missed you, Thermopolis," Michael said to me, looking straight into my eyes. We were in the living room, sitting side by side on the couch eating junk food, with Pavlov picking up the crumbs. His words had me confused. Why would someone on tour with his world-famous band even have time think of me, his little sister's meaningless little sister's best friend, let alone miss me?

"Really?"

"Yeah, I did," as if it was the most practical thing in the world for him to miss me. "It's not all it's cracked up to be, being on tour and all. But performing live makes up for it."

"So why are you back home?" I asked, hoping to start a conversation.

"Well, I need a short vacation. I'll probably write some songs in my spare time. But by next year we really have to work on our next album. Besides, I was having some writer's block. I needed some more inspiration."

"Inspiration? What inspiration?" I inquired, realizing a lot of his songs were about longing after someone. As soon as the words reached his ears, the look on his face made me want to take it back. He was looking down at his worn-and-torn converse high-tops [an eighties boy at heart] and biting his lip. God, I hadn't meant to make him uncomfortable. And besides, I really didn't want to know who the guy I was crushing was longing after. "I mean..." I stuttered, "that's none of my business. It's not my place to know who you write your songs about. I'm sorry--." He cut me off.

"It actually kind of is your business, considering I write most of them about you."

He was looking into my eyes again, no sign of emotion in his face while he waited for me to process this valuable little piece of information.

And then it hit me.

I smiled and laughed, blissfully happy, my eyes widening with shock and brightening with happiness both at the same time.

He looked back down at his feet, mumbling. "It wasn't a joke. I really do love you." I realized that laughing must've made it seem like I was laughing at him, and forced myself to stop. Michael Moscovitz had just proclaimed his love for me, and there was no way I was going to ruin it.

"I love you too, Michael," I said, confidently, in a voice totally different than my own.

He looked up, and now he was the one laughing, while he cupped my chin in his hand and placed his lips on my own.

**[Author's Note]**  
So whatcha think? Like it? Hate it? Review!


	2. Attempted Confessions

**[Author's Note]  
**Thanks for all the positiveness in the reviews! And I think I just made up a word. _Positiveness_. Hmmm.Well, to answer some questions I've received, yes, there is more! I'm actually almost done with the last chapter, so updates are probably going to come pretty quickly. I hope. But anyway, I'm getting a bit sidetracked. On with the chapter! Enjoy.  
**[/Author's Note]**

Tear me open at the seams.   
Take everything you need.   
Take my heart if you like the beat,   
Take my lungs if it's hard to breathe, to breathe.  
...  
I can't take it if you're waiting.   
I am ready to tell the world about a girl who showed me love again for the first time.   
And it's everything I dreamed of.  
...  
With my heart in your hand and my neck in the other,   
Should I be scared or should I come closer?   
But it's still beating and I'm still breathing.   
You haven't hurt me yet.

-"Still Breathing"; Cauterize

**Such Great Heights**  
**Chapter Two**  
Attempted Confessions

"I'm back!" the unmistakable voice of Lilly rang throughout the apartment, and there I was, lying on the couch with Michael on top of me sticking his tongue down my throat. Which was actually a very pleasant experience, but the thought of Lilly seeing me and her older brother making out on the couch made me cringe, and I froze the moment I heard her voice. I turned my head to the side, but Michael simply moved his lips to my neck as an alternative option.

"Lilly's home," I said, panicking.

"Uh huh," Michael mumbled, not caring.

"Obviously," Lilly said from behind us, slapping Michael on the back of the head to get his attention. He rolled off of me casually and rubbed the back of his head.

"I'll be the first to admit that it makes me happy to see that you two have finally figured out that your head-over-heels in love with each other," she began an endless rant, "but you really do not need to have a full-on make-out session in my presence. Agreed?" I was, without a doubt, surprised with her attitude toward my newfound boyfriend.

"Yes, Lilly, oh powerful one," Michael said, a huge grin on his face.

"Why are you in such a good mood?" Lilly asked.

"I dunno, " He said, sweeping Pavlov off the floor and heading off to his room. "Later, Mia."

He almost never referred to me by my first name. I swooned.

"Oh, come _on_," Lilly said, forcefully pulling me by the sleeve into her room.

"Now, Mia," Lilly started, now sitting on her bed and munching ona donut, "you _do_ realize that now that you and Michael are now 'an item', you have to tell him."

"Tell him what?"

"That you're a princess," Lilly said, apparently aggravated my my incapability to comprehend things as quickly as she wanted me to. But hey, give me a break, I was pretty much floating around on cloud nine.

Lilly was one of the only people who knew about my...royalness. I mean, how could I possibly keep it a secret from her? She would've figured it out on her own, anyway. "You can't hide that from him anymore. He deserves to know, before the press catches you two sucking face in Central Park and does an extreme background check on 'Michael Moscovitz's New Lover'. You don't want him finding out from the press. He'd blow a fuse."

I sighed. I knew I had to tell him. I thought having Michael as a boyfriend would solve all of my problems, – oh, it felt so great to call him that – but it just gave me a ton more. Going out with Michael would put me in the spotlight, causing the media to find out that I'm a princess, and then POOF! Instant fame, and I really didn't want the spotlight. I wouldn't be able to hide my identity, anymore. But then again, I'd happily deal with these problems for Michael.

But that meant I had to tell him. "You think he'll freak?"

"Not if he finds out from you, and not the press. That's why you have to tell him ASAP. I've been waiting for years for you two to finally get together and stop pining after each other, and you are _not_ going to spoil it by not telling him. Got it?" I nodded, a bit afraid of what she would do if I didn't agree with her. She would probably just spend another hour psycho-analyzing me. "So go ahead."

"Now?!" I exclaimed.

"Yes, go." I groaned and walked towards the hallway, pausing in the doorway. Lilly pushed me in the small of my back and I stumbled out into the open, feeling extremely uncomfortable and nervous. Michael's door was wide open, and I stopped in his doorway, waiting for him to notice I was standing there. He was wearing headphones and wouldn't be able to hear a word I said anyway. He spotted me and jumped, pulling the headphones off his ears and throwing them onto the floor, smiling at me.

I'd had this whole plan of exactly what I was going to say and how was going to say it, and I was all ready to start my tirade until he got up and walked up to me, his face inches from mine as he said, "Hey gorgeous." And then all hope was lost.

"What's up? Escaping from Lilly, eh?" He said, smiling genuinely down at me. He brushed a strand of blonde hair out of my eyes.

"Um." My voice cracked. "Yes?" He laughed, oblivious, and started kissing me, which really didn't help me confess, but simply distracted me from my task at hand.

We didn't stop until I felt something vibrating in my pocket. It was my cell phone, the one that Grandmere got for my birthday. I didn't really need it, but she insisted on being able to keep in touch with me at all times. I groaned and answered it. "Hello?" I tried to stop giggling as Michael nuzzled my neck from behind.

"Amelia?" Grandmere's raspy voice came through the receiver.

"Yes?" I replied, not exactly sure what she'd called for.

"Ou etes-vous?" she asked. _Where are you?_

"Je suis à la chez Lilly. Pourquoi?" _I'm at Lilly's house. Why?_

"Je vais viens demain à midi. Compris?" _I will come tomorrow at __noon__. Understood?_

"Oui," I said, sighing.

_Click._

"Who was that?" Michael asked, embracing me from behind.

"My Grandmother. It was nothing, she's just coming to pick me up tomorrow at noon." I shrugged, once again reminded he was still so clueless about my status.

"To take you away in her big fancy limo? Suckage. I'd hoped we could do something tomorrow." My heart sunk.

"Maybe tomorrow night." I said brightly.

"Maybe. Hey, where is Lars, anyway? I miss the old bloke." He had turned on his fake British accent for some unknown reason, causing me to laugh.

"He dropped me off and took the rest of the night off." It didn't surprise me that Michael was wondering where Lars was. They always seemed oddly close.

Lilly walked in on us without warning, asking bluntly, "Did you tell him yet?" I blushed furiously and shook my as little as possible, so only Lilly would notice. She rolled her eyes.

"Tell me what?" Michael asked, confused.

"Um," I stuttered. "Nothing. It was nothing." Lilly grabbed my hand and pulled me into the hallway without warning, dragging me by the arm into her room and slamming the door.

"I thought you were going to tell him!" she exclaimed.

"I was going to... but then he kissed me and..." I trailed off.

She sighed. "You got yourself into this, and now you have to get yourself out. What about the assertiveness I taught you how to use! YOU ARE NO LONGER AFRAID OF CONFRONTATION. I thought you grew out of that a long time ago."

"Can we just not talk about this?" I asked. "It's giving me a headache."

"Fine," she finished, frustrated, and rolled her eyes.

It didn't take me long to realize that I'd created quite a large problem for myself that I'd regret later.

Sheesh. Does my life ever get any easier? Honestly.

* * *

**[Author's Note]  
**The end. Haha, no no, I'm just kidding. So what'd you think? Reviews are always appreciated, of course. And in case you're a bit dim like my good friend Maureen and need me to say it again, review!

authentically,  
Karen


	3. Concealed Sentiment

**[Author's Note]  
**It actually kinda freaks me out thatsomething that happened actually happened to me not too long ago. The scary thing is that it happened _after_ I wrote it. Freaky, huh? Not that you really care.  
But anyway.  
On with the story.  
**[/Author's Note]**

**Such Great Heights  
****Chapter Three  
**Concealed Sentiment

I woke up to a wet dog's nose sniffing my face and a bright light burning my eyes. I opened my eyes and scratched Pavlov behind his ears, sitting up.

"Morning," Michael said from the doorway, shirtless and yawning in his Goonies pajama pants.

"What time is it?" I asked groggily, struggling to keep my eyes open.

"Eleven-thirty." I nodded, half asleep. I'd slept a little later than I had expected, because it's not like I had to rush...

Wait, when was Grandmere coming to pick me up?

Oh no.

I gasped and jumped out of Lilly's spare bed, where I had spent the night. I had a half hour to do my hair, my makeup, and get dressed, all to Grandmere's approval. This would be challenge. And the fact that I had stubbed my toe as I was running to get my bag didn't help. "What's wrong?" Michael asked, as he observed me hopping around the room like a dysfunctional rabbit, holding my injured foot.

"Grandmere's coming in thirty minutes. Must...get...ready," I said, bringing my toe closer to my face so I could see the damage done.

"Thirty minutes isn't enough?" he asked, letting me lean on his bare shoulder as I got myself together. I guess Michael doesn't understand the fact that girls need a substantial amount of time to get ready.

"No. Not when you're dealing with Grandmere," I said matter-of-factly.

"Ah, ok. Well, then I'll go make you something to eat, so you don't pass out in the limo."

"Thanks," I said, taking the time to look back at him and smile gratefully before returning to combing my hair frantically.

I slid into a knee-length black skirt and purple shirt, the only colors that I knew wouldn't offend her in some way. I was lucky I anticipated this little surpirse princess lesson and packed for it. I slathered on some lipstick and blush, not bothering with anything else. I pulled my hair back into a tidy bun and managed to get into pantyhose. Ick. I ran out of the room with my shoes in my hand, sliding across the wood floor right into Michael who responded with a soft "Oof!"

"I'm sorry, I killed you," I said giggling uncontrollably, trying desperately to stop the fits of laughter.

"I think you broke my rib," he said, clutching his bare stomach. Once I got myself settled, I put on a mock sympathetic face.

"Aw, what a shame. You big baby." I kissed him on the cheek. This new-found confidence I had was shocking me more and more. "You might want to put on a shirt before _it_ gets here," I said as he handed me a Pop Tart.

"Should I be afraid of this 'Grandmere'?" he asked, traces of fear shining through in his normally cheerful face.

"Yes," I said, just as her voice rang throughout the apartment. "AMELIA!" I hastily slipped my heels onto my oversized feet, hoping I could drag her away before she came looking for me and saw Michael without a shirt, since he hadn't gotten the chance to change. It wasn't exactly the first impression I'd been hoping for.

I started to walk towards the foyer, but Michael grabbed my elbow and gave me a quick peck on the lips. "Call me later, okay?" I said. "Get my cell phone number from Lilly," I said as I reluctantly pulled away. He mouthed those three wonderful words so sincerely I couldn't pull the smile off my face as I rushed into the foyer to save Lilly from the demon commonly referred to as Grandmere. I whispered "later," to Lilly under my breath as I was roughly yanked into the hallway.

I sat in the limo, eternally grateful that Lars was there to help me survive through these torturous lessons I was forced to attend. I shot him a glance, one of those secretive glances that were only exchanged between girl and bodyguard, the ones that said "get me out of here." Of course, he couldn't get me out of there since Grandmere was his own employer.

Grandmere is really just a very bitter old woman who has a lot of power in our family, and who everyone within our family fears. She gets away with everything because no one wants to tell her "no", since that word is not in Grandmere's vocabulary, though she uses it quite often herself. Her eyeliner is tattooed, her eyebrows are drawn on, and her hair is a regal shade of pure white. She always has malicious intentions with everything she does. I'm sure there's an actual compassionate human being underneath there somewhere, but you'd have to dig past the layers of makeup and ego.

"Amelia," she said beginning her lecture as we entered her suite. "These lessons are ending soon on your father;s request, but I can easily change his mind if I don't feel you're ready so _pay attention_." It's about time. It's only been... what? Four years? Four years of princess lessons, and half of them were just pointless. Honestly. I was getting sick of this. She spoke on as I doodled on the cover of my beloved diary (I've kept one ever since I was fourteen), which was now covered with countless notes and song lyrics. Come to think of it, a lot of them were from Michael's band, The Endings.

_"I wish I could put these feelings for you back where I found them,   
__Ease the complications and pain in my heart.   
__I wish I could tell you how I feel,   
__But I'm not at all sure where to start.   
__So I'll sit here like this for the rest of my life,   
__Watching you fall in and out of love with people I could never compare to.  
__And seeing you sitting so close to him pierces through my eyes like a blade.  
__Just look at me for a long while and you'll see all the wounds you've made.  
__These once joyful eyes have lost their bright color,   
__If only you could notice and realize why they are no longer how they were.   
__I used to think I'd somehow catch you with my oh so debonair charm,   
__But I'm not so sure anymore watching you and him, linked arm-in-arm."_

I remembered the title almost immediately. "Concealed Sentiment".

And now I was guilty. This was about me? I wondered who exactly he was referring to by "him". Was it Kenny? Or... I scanned through my previous boyfriends in my mind. There haven't been many, only one I'd ever thought I'd loved, and that was Devon. Until I found out he was cheating on me, which sent me into a major depression. That was when I got back into my Michael-obsession, right after that ugly breakup.

And to think that I thought he didn't love me back.

He loved me. I smiled at the thought and let myself soak in the memories of his smile, his toned chest muscular arms, his messy hair. We'd only been officially 'together' for a week and I was already completely enamored. Hell, I was enamored with him BEFORE we became a couple.

But he still has no idea about my dirty little secret, that's not exactly so little, as Lilly persistently reminded me. But I pushed the not-so-plesent thought out of my head. It was something I really wanted to avoid thinking about.

**[Author's Note]  
**You see, when Mia crashed into Michael? Well, I was running down someone's driveway to say goodbye to my lovely boyfriend. Well, it was steeper than I'd expected and my jog turned into a sprint, so I couldn't stop in time and I slammed my chin into Justin's shoulder. AND YOU KNOW WHAT I SAID??? "I'm sorry, I totally killed you." Yeah. If that's not freaky, I dunno what is.   
Sorry. I just needed to share that with someone.  
  
Oh, and by the way, I know the song probably sucked. It was my attempt at song writing, and I'm not sure if it was very good one.  
  
On another note, there's the third chapter. Not a very eventful chapter, but the plot will unfold soon enough, I swear. So be patient and review!


	4. The Calm Before the Storm

**[Author's Note]  
**Here I am, updating. Happy? I hope so. But first:  
Controversial-roses: I did not slam into his back, I slammed into his shoulder. By the way, he smells really good. Teeheee. "You have no idea how much I love you!" STALKER! Hahaha, nahh, I'm just kidding. I love you too, Mreenster.  
SoCalSurferGirl: Haha. Hmmm...by any chance, does this Justin think the sky's too timid [because it never speaks], think deja vu is freaky, and think all chandeliers are haunted?**

* * *

**

**Such Great Heights  
****Chapter Four  
**Calm Before the Storm

_"I am thinking it's a sign that the freckles in our eyes are mirror images, and that when we kiss they're perfectly aligned."_

After that torture session, I couldn't help but treat myself to some ice cream in Central Park. I was still in my Grandmere attire, but I could really care less. It must have looked odd seeing a girl dressed rather primly, walking through Central Park with a dripping ice cream cone and a messenger bag covered with Greenpeace pins slung over her shoulder. And then there was Lars, walking next to me and eating his own sundae talking on and on about something I couldn't even pronounce, let alone have any clue of what it was. I just nodded and smiled, pretending to follow along while I gazed off into the skyline and savored the ice cream before it melted.

I heard my cell phone ringing and dug it out of my messenger bag, flipping it open and holding it to my ear. "Hello?"

"Hey!" I recognized Michael's voice and smiled, stopping to sit down on a bench. Lars followed closely behind.

"HI!" I said probably a bit too enthusiastically.

"How was the meeting with the oh-so-dreadful Grandmere?"

"So amazingly horrible that I'm now treating myself to chocolate ice cream to make myself feel better."

"You're just giving yourself an excuse for eating ice cream, aren't you?" he asked, laughing.

"Well...yeah. I couldn't help myself. So what are you doing?"

"I just got back from _rehearsal_, which really didn't even slightly resemble anything close to a rehearsal, since we got no work done."

"Hey, what are you doing tonight?" he added, just as casually as if he was asking what the weather was going to be.

"Um... nothing. I think." I paused, at a loss for words. It shouldn't have been such a surprise, but it surprised me for some odd reason I couldn't exactly distinguish. "Why?" I dared to ask.

"Because I was wondering if you'd want to grab something to eat with me," he replied.

"Um...yeah. Sure. I mean, of course I want to," I said unsteadily, though the smile on my face was growing wider by the second.

"Alright. I'll pick you up at seven?" I glanced at the clock. Five o' clock. I had plenty of time.

"Uh huh. See you then."

"Yeah. I...uh...well, I love you, Mia." he finished.

"I love you, too," I hung up and let out a squeal. Lars gave me an odd look and then laughed more than I have ever seen him laugh before, causing me to blush and punch him in the shoulder. Which, of course, didn't affect him at all considering I have no arm strength whatsoever.

"It's about time you two are together. If I had to go through any more of you two pining over each other and going through various other people with the hope of replacing each other, I might've went and killed myself."

I paced up and down my room anxiously, taking a peek in the mirror every three seconds to make sure I looked okay. I mean, It was, technically, our first date. After much consideration, I had settled on my favorite pair of jeans and a vintage shirt. I'd left my hair down and attempted to put a bit of makeup on, which I hoped worked out okay because I rarely did so.

The doorbell rang and I ran to the door, not wanting anyone else to get there before I did. I stopped, took a deep breath, and opened it.

There was Michael, standing there with his hands in his pockets. He was wearing jeans, a Star Wars tee-shirt, and a pair of Chuck Taylor's. His hair was adorably messy and he was just standing there, waiting to be let in as I stared.

'Hey..." he said, trying to gain my attention, which I must admit worked.

I shook my head and blinked, telling him to come on in. I could hear Rocky charging down the hallway and braced myself for embarrassment. He ran right up to Michael and charged into him, talking in some language unknown to any human being. I sighed and picked him up, struggling to keep him in my grasp and he writhed around in my arms like some sort of fish. I was unbelievably grateful when my mom came and rescued me from the monster who happened to be my brother. She picked him up and sent him off back to his room to put on his pajamas, and thankfully, he didn't object. He dashed off back into his room screaming happily at the top of his lungs.

I was used to this.

"I'm so sorry," I said, turning to Michael, who seemed purely amused by the whole ordeal.

"So where are you two going tonight?" she asked, turning to me and Michael. She hadn't been very surprised when I let her know who I had a date with that night, but just smiled to herself as if she knew it would happen all along. I've been getting that reaction from a lot of people lately.

"A restaurant not far from here," he replied.

"Sounds nice."

"We'd better go," I said hurriedly, hoping we could get out of there before Mr. G came down and started interrogating Michael on how he was doing, et cetera, et cetera. He had the tendency of doing that with former-students, and I wasn't all to eager to hang around and wait for him to embarrass me.

"Alright, have her back by midnight."

"I will," Michael promised as I dragged him out of the door.

"So where's Lars? Doesn't he follow you everywhere?" Michael asked as we walked down Bleecker Street.

"Nah, not tonight. I convinced him you'd protect me."

"Oh, I see. I have some big shoes to fill, then. Why _do_ you have a bodyguard, anyway?"

It was the absolute perfect opportunity to tell him. "Because I... I'm a pr--. I mean, my father's overprotective." I chickened out. "And rich," I added, to make it more believable. God, why was I doing this?

"That sucks. Well, at least you got a cool bodyguard like Lars."

"He always seemed to like you. I don't know why. Maybe he knows us better than we know ourselves."

"He probably does," Michael said laughing.

We came to a small restaurant in a relatively short amount of time, talking and laughing the whole way there. It was nice to talk to Michael like this, with no pressure.

He grabbed us a small table away from the window, which was logical, considering if he sat in clear view he would be spotted within seconds. He pulled out my chair for me, and I was stunned considering no boyfriend I've had ever pulled out my chair, or even opened the door for me. But then again, my previous boyfriends weren't all that great manners-wise.

"It's amazing how little you've changed," I said to him as he sat himself down. Grabbing his menu and scanning it.

"What do you mean?" he asked, looking up into my eyes. He always seemed to be staring into my eyes when he talked to me. I always admired him for it.

"Well, you've been away on tour for the past year, getting famous and all of that, and yet you're still the same Michael."

"Who did you expect?" he asked, amused. "A self-absorbed, materialistic, pop culture icon? Pfft. Puh-lease." I laughed. "Besides," he continued, "I don't even like the fame that much. It's alright, I guess, but it gets frustrating after a while. I do it for the music."

"You always were music-obsessed."

"And you always had horrible taste in music."

"I did not!" I defended, laughing.

"Oh, you did to! Come on. Beyonce? _I_ was the one who introduced you to the good stuff. Like Brand New and Rooney."

"Well...yeah," I gave in. "But I still like Beyonce!"

Michael laughed. "You, my love, are a very multifaceted person."

We left the restaurant after eating the biggest meal I've ever had, stepping out into a torrential downpour, raindrops the size of very small rodents.

Maybe I'm exaggerating. I have the tendency of stretching the truth to make my life more interesting, but come to think of it my life isn't all that boring anyway.

But I digress.

So there I stood, getting soaked and yet not really caring. I looked up towards the sky and savored every drop of it. Michael grabbed my hand and smiled down at me, his hair wet and droplets of water dripping off the edge of his nose. He leaned down and kissed me, neither of us really pulling away until the thunder started.

"As much as I love the rain," Michael said, "I think our best bet would be to call Lars to come pick us up. I'm really not into the whole 'getting hit by lightning thing'."

I laughed and nodded in agreement, leading him under the awning. I took out my cell phone and dialed Lars. He picked up and said he'd come ASAP after Michael assisted me in giving directions, since I'm totally oblivious to names of streets and how to get places.

I shivered, cold from the wetness that had overtaken every parcel of clothing on my body.Michael took one glance at me and sacrificed his hoodie for me, as if he'd read my thoughts. I slipped it over my head and became instantly warm, though it was way too big for me and also kind of wet. The inside was still dry. "Thanks."

"No problem," he said nonchalantly, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and pulling me close.

"I love you Thermopolis," he said softly into my ear.

"I love you too, Moscovitz," I said as the limo pulled up. We hopped in as quickly as possible, soaking wet and our shoes squeaking.

"Did you go for a swim?" Lars asked, amused to bits, even though his face didn't really show it. He never really displayed his emotions in his expressions. I guess it's a bodyguard thing.

"Close to it," Michael shrugged. Him and Lars shared some sort of meaningful look while they thought I wasn't looking, and Lars gave some sort of nod of acknowledgement or something. I will never understand guys.

Come to think of it, Lars has never liked any of my previous boyfriends... except Michael. He's always really warmed up to Michael.

Go figure.

Michael walked me to my door in the rain, giving me a quick kiss before shoving me through the door, saying "You're going to get sick if you stay out here any longer."

I lingered in the doorway and stared at him for a minute, standing there with his dark hair dripping and his clothes plastered to his face. I was about to tell him, then and there. I came this close, I swear I did.

"I need to tell you something..." I started. "I...I'm...in love with you." Okay, close enough, right? Why is the word _princess_ so hard to say around him.

"I've been in love with you for a long while, Thermopolis. It's nice to hear." He grinned, took my hand in his and kissed it, running back into the limo.

I was digging my own grave, and knew it. But I'd rather bury myself alive than ruin my chances with Michael Moscovitz.

* * *

**[Author's Note]  
**Okay, now it's your turn to review.  
Oh, and Maureen, I added that little "go figure" line in there just for you ;D


	5. Attempts

**[Author's Note]  
**SoCalSurferGirl: Oh dear, I'm scared now. Haha. And thanks, by the way. I was going for the cuteness factor.  
robtaymattlouned: Hahahaa. Dwinka?! Aw, how cute!  
Ahhhh: Well then, here it is!  
Cleotta: Thank youuuu. Here it is!  
LostRose: Thanks for the correcting me. I should've known that would happen. I'm not very good in French class.  
Rosey: I'm not telling you...teehee. You'll just have to keep reading, won't ya? Yes, I am evil.  
aphi72: You'll just have to read on and see.  
moonstone209: If I told you, that would just take all of the fun out of it!  
dawnsona: I know. "I killed you" is such a classic line, isn't it?  
Erkith: Yeah, I always loved that little Michael/Lars bond. Here's your update!

**Such Great Heights  
****Chapter Five  
**Attempts

"I don't understand why you think he'll hate you for something you can't help," Lilly said, trying to convince me. A week or two had passed, and Michael still didn't know, or even have the slightest inkling, that I was a princess. If that isn't procrastination, I don't know what is. But everything was already going so well for me, and I didn't want anything to jeopardize that.

"If you don't tell him," Lilly continued, "and he somehow finds out some other way, _then_ he'll be angry."

"How do you know?"

"I just do. It's a sibling thing," she shrugged.

"So what if he's mad at me for keeping it from him for all this time?!"

"He'll be happy that you told him!"

"I dunno, Lil. I mean, I don't want to ruin anything."

"Mia, honestly, there's no way that this relationship can go anywhere without him knowing." I sighed. The fact was, Lilly was more right than I was willing to admit. I just wanted to put off telling him this minor detail for as long as possible. Except it's actually kind of a major detail.

I should write a book on procrastination. I'd sure have a lot to fill it with. Don'tcha agree?

Wait, who am I talking to?

Oh dear, I really am losing it.

"I'll tell him tonight," I said with much consideration.

"You will?" Lilly asked, totally not believing me at all. Well she had a reason, but I was really going to go through with it this time.

"Yes." I had my mind made up, I really did. "I totally swear that I will tell him tonight, when he walks me home." Which he did every night. Walking me home, that is. Or at least he did whenever I wasn't spending the night. It was kind of a long walk, but it was accomplishable. I just saw it as Mia-Michael alone time.

The door opened and in walked Michael and Pavlov. Michael was red in the face and out-of-breath, and it was obvious that he'd had another encounter with the press. Luckily, none of these press-encounters ever happen while I'm with him, and that would truly be a disaster. They'd do a whole look-up on "Lead-singer Michael Moscovitz's new girlfriend" and publicize the whole princess thing. That's not the way I want Michael to find out. No no no no no.

"Hey Thermopolis," he said, throwing his keys on the table and kissing me on the cheek.

"Press?" I asked.

"And fangirls," he sighed, plopping down on the couch beside me. I really couldn't believe my own luck. There I was, sitting next to my _boyfriend_, Michael Moscovitz the rockstar, who could get any girl he wanted. And for some unbelievable reason, he was perfectly content with having me. I'd spent many nights pondering over this, worrying and worrying endlessly that I wasn't good enough for him. The thought hadn't exactly left my mind, but I'd pushed it out of my head for the time being. I didn't need any more reason to worry myself silly.

Michael laced his fingers within my own as we strolled comfortably down the street, talking randomly about nothing. It was a little past 8:00, and the streetlights were flickering on as the sun started to set and the city started to dim.

"I found myself an apartment up for rent," he said.

"Really? So you're really getting your own place?" I asked, kind of in disbelief.

"Yeah! Why, is it really that shocking? I mean, I'm 22, I'm in a band and I've collected a substantial amount of money in the past couple of years. It's only sensible to move out and move on, you know?" Michael was the only person I knew who used the word "substantial" in the middle of a casual conversation.

"I know, it's just going to seem weird. I mean, I'm so used to you being there when I'm hanging out with Lilly. And I've kind of gotten used to it again, ever since you got back."

"Well, aren't you moving into a dorm starting in September?"

"Yeah, actually," I confirmed, kind of in awe of how much was changing.

"There's a lot of change going on," I shared.

"Yeah, well in some cases it's a good thing. Just look at us." He squeezed my hand and smiled at me, making me blush and smile uncontrollably.

"Yeah, you're right," I agreed.

"Of course I am. I'm always right!"

I laughed. "I happen to disagree, Mr. Cocky."

"What?!"

"You were wrong when you thought I didn't feel the same way."

"But you thought so, too."

"I'm not the one going around bragging that I know everything," I argued playfully. He sighed. He was defeated.

"Hey Michael," I started. I might as well get more than one thing cleared up tonight.

"Hm?" All of his attention was on me now. Oh God.

"Um. Why did you choose me?" I asked softly.

He looked at me for a long while. At first he seemed kind of bewildered. Well, I guess it was kind of a stupid question. But then he smiled, looked me in the eyes and said, "Because I'm in love with you, that's why. I always have been and I always will be." He stroked my cheek and kissed me with more feeling than I thought possible. My knees buckled and I found myself falling into him, leaning on his chest so I wouldn't fall, because at that point my legs had no chance of holding my own weight.

"Hey Michael..." I started off again, thinking of my promise to Lilly...and to myself. He pulled away so that his face was still only inches from my own.

"Yes Thermopolis?" He had a big, cheeky grin on his face.

"Um... well, I've been meaning to tell you something for a really long time now."

"Really? And what is that?"

"Well—."

And then came the cameras.

**[Author's Note]  
**Cliffhanger!  
I'm sorry, really. But I just couldn't help myself.  
For some reason I found this chapter kind of hard to write, and it didn't turn out the way I wanted it to. I hope it turned out okay.  
So now go ahead and review, because reviews make me happy and they make me update faster. Haha.


	6. Quick Note

I am so, so sorry for the lack of updates, but I've been going back and forth between Jersey and Long Island for the past week or so. I've been so amazingly busy that's it's disturbing, because I usually have nothing to do. I've just been living at Maureen's [Contraversial-roses] house all summer and going to concerts [we went to Warped Tour on Sunday :D] and visiting all of my Jersey friends, including the lovely Justin.

Not that any of you care.

Unfortunately, the next chapter is on my computer, which is back at my house in Long Island so I won't be able to update until I return home this weekend for a day or two.

Very sorry for the delay,

Authentic


	7. Headlines

**Such ****Great ********Heights******

**Chapter Six**

Headlines

News flash: camera flashes are very blinding when they're all flashing at once. Most people would never find this out, but of course, I have to be one of the people who does. Whenever I go to Genovia, cameras, cameras, and more cameras. And the fact that I am now dating a rockstar back home really doesn't help. I hate cameras.

And of course, when they started snapping their damn cameras in our faces I just stood there idiotically, since I was focusing on trying to regain my vision. So Michael tightened his grip on my shoulders and guided me throughout the numerous flashes to...the limo.

It was seriously a pure miracle that I'd forgotten to tell Lars not to pick me up, or else the limo wouldn't have spotted us being mobbed on its way to get me.

Michael opened the door and gently nudged me in, since I was still a bit dumbstruck. He climbed in after me and slammed the door closed. I never thought I'd be so thankful for the tinted windows. "Sorry about that," he said. "I can't go anywhere anymore without them following me."

"It's okay," I said. Usually when I get mobbed by reporters, it's expected. When I go out and walk around Genovia, I always bump into _someone_. But I never expect it here, back home. God, I was so stupid. I was dating a rockstar; of course the press was going to find out and make it public.

And they'll look up everything about me and we'll become one of the those celebrity couples, which I don't really want but I guess it's unavoidable-.

Shit.

They're going to find out that I'm a princess. They're going to publicize it.

Oh, I'm in some deep trouble.

God, why I'm I such a procrastinator?

Not to mention that now I'll have to deal with the press 24/7 in the states, Grandmere will make a big deal about it, and I'll no longer have the freedom to wander around Manhattan without Lars or some form of protection. Oh, and of course Grandmere is going to want to meet this new 'prince consort', and she'll already disapprove of him because he's a rockstar, and automatically irresponsible and rebellious in Grandmere's point of view. What kind of nightmare had I gotten myself into?

I really should have told Michael once I realized what was going to happen. Hell, I should've told him a long time ago. I can't imagine what he'd say if he found out from the gossip magazines rather than be told by me. But it's kind of difficult to tell someone something like this when they're kissing you, especially when pulling away is the last thing you want to do.

But lying to him made me feel absolutely horrible, and kind of ruined the moment for me. He seemed perfectly content, though. Of course, he wasn't the one who was lying to the person he loved, so why should he have a problem.

He walked me to my door once we reached the loft. "Lars'll give you a ride home," I said.

"Hey, what was that you were telling me before?" he asked. And here's where I screwed up. Big time. Remember those fears of confrontation from my early years of high school that I thought I'd gotten over? Yeah, well here's proof that they only went into hiding. Because as I stood there staring into his eyes and digging my foot into the ground, desperately wishing that the concrete would break apart and I would fall through, providing a perfect opportunity to procrastinate some more, my vocal chords disappeared. I couldn't generate any sort of sound besides a pathetic "uhhhhhh."

He gave me some sort of confused look, and I shook my head. It was hopeless. The whole situation was hopeless. "It was nothing," managed to croak. God, what was my problem?

He nodded and leaned in to peck me on the lips. "Love you, Thermopolis."

"Love you too. G'night," I said as I stepped through the doorway.

"G'night," he smiled and turned away, jogging back to the limo.

-------------

_Michael Moscovitz Dating Genovian Princess_

That's what the cover of US Magazine read the next morning. My heart skipped a beat. I'd at least thought it'd take a few days for this to reach the public eye. God, I'm so naïve. I panicked. It was about 9:00 when I ran out of the house and onto the subway, rushing to reach _chez Moscovitz_.

I hoped upon hope that he hadn't gotten up yet. Maybe Lilly did me a favor and kept him away from the dreaded magazine. Wait, how many magazines had published this story?

Shit. Shit, shit, shit.

Once off the subway, I ran to the apartment at a sprint, dodging annoyed commuters and bumping into several people on the way. I could care less.

The outside of their building was mobbed with reporters, and I felt amazingly unsafe without Lars, so I went around the back alleyway. Thank God I knew there was an alternate way in, or else I'd be dodging reporters for the next hour. I pulled open the door and dashed up the staircase, not wanting to bother with the elevator, since I might just run into someone who'd seen the goddamned article.

I reached their floor and made my way to the apartment door, knocking frantically and panting like crazy.

Michael opened the door, the magazine in his hand. He seemed dumbstruck, and looked up at me with the most hurt look I have ever seen. I felt like I was one inch tall.

"Wha?" he managed to say softly.

"Let me explain," I said in a rush.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked, shocked to the extreme. He seemed so hurt, which surprised me. I expected him to be angry or something other than this. But he wasn't. All I could see in his eyes was sheer pain, and I felt like the worst person in the world because I knew I'd caused it.

"I...I... don't know." I was almost sobbing by now.

He sighed and mumbled something like, "I need to go think." And then he stalked past me, over to the elevator. I didn't bother to follow him. I knew I wasn't wanted.

Tears fell uncontrollably down my cheeks, as I stood there frozen in front of the door. Lilly walked out of her room and gave me a sympathetic look, leading me inside wordlessly and sitting me down on the couch. She put her arms around my shoulder and said nothing about how badly I handled this whole situation or how she was right and I was wrong. She just remained there comforting me as I cried.

**[Author's Note]**  
I'll update soon, I pwomise :D Especially now since I'll be home for a while, with full access to my own computer.  
I'm going through a bit of a Taking Back Sunday obsession right now for some odd reason. Anyone have any idea why? I think it's because the new cd made me realize how good they USED to be and what we've all lost. –shrugs- Who knows, maybe it's just lack of Brand New. Ugh, I still have to wait till January for the new cd! -cries-  
I seriously doubt any of you read that extremely pointless ramble.  
So just review and ignore me. Haha.


	8. The Art of Loneliness

**Such ****Great ********Heights  
********Chapter Seven**  
The Art of Loneliness****

****

"My smile's an open wound without you, and my hands are tied to pages inked to bring you back."  
-Homesick at Space Camp; Fall Out Boy

"And I have to speculate that God himself did make us into corresponding shapes like puzzle pieces from the clay. True, it may seem like a stretch, but its thoughts like this that catch my troubled head when you're away when I am missing you to death."  
Such Great Heights; The Postal Service

[Michael's POV]

_I have never been this confused in my entire life. I don't think I really understand it. Why didn't she tell me? Was it that she didn't find me important enough? Well, that really shows how much our relationship meant to her. She probably saw it as some sort of fling. How could I be so stupid? I didn't think it would hurt this much. To know that someone I was entirely honest with from day one was keeping this gigantic secret from me the whole time, and the only explanation I can come up with is that she didn't think I was important enough, or even trustworthy enough to know. Did she not trust me?_

_But do I want to go through the troubles of dating a princess, anyway? I mean, talk about baggage. There's so much to consider!_

_Who I am kidding? I can barely survive one day without her._

**_I love her._**

Lilly walked into the room, already knowing that she wasn't welcome. Michael groaned and slammed his journal shut, throwing it into the corner of the room and giving Lilly the evil eye. But then she responded to his pathetic excuse for an evil eye with her own trademarked version, which scared the hell out of Michael every time. Especially since that one time when a swift kick in the nether region followed it.

"Spill it, Moscovitz," Lilly demanded bluntly, her hands on her hips.

"Why?" Michael asked, making an attempt at a conversation, something that Lilly and himself hadn't shared in a while.

"Why _what_? Michael, honestly. Remember, I can't read your mind." Lilly rolled her eyes.

"I mean...why didn't she tell me?"

"Well, what do _you_ think?" Lilly said, frustrated with her older brother. Was it really this hard for him to understand the way Mia thinks?

"She didn't think I was trustworthy enough?" Michael shrugged. Lilly's eyes widened and she let out a chuckle. What they had was one serious case of miscommunication that could easily be fixed with a little damage control. Why was it always her responsibility to fix things between these two? She didn't mind, of course. But it was kind of frustrating when two people blatantly refuse to realize that they're perfect for each other, even after everything seems to have come together. They were both so full of doubt when it came to their relationship that it could be scripted into a comedy.

"Michael, honestly, by the way you're talking right now it seems like you don't even _know_ the girl. This is _Mia_ we're talking about."

"Wait...what?" Michael asked, now even more confused than he was 10 minutes ago.

"Michael...are you really that thick? _Mia_, the queen of fearing confrontation. It wasn't that she didn't want to tell you, it's that she was terrified of your reaction."

Well, that was a revelation. But was it true? Michael was still a bit skeptical. Lilly could always be wrong. It would be a first for her, but it was always a possibility. But then again, this explanation seemed so much more acceptable than the one he'd come up with himself. And besides, Lilly was usually right when it came to psycho-analyzing Mia.

Michael stood up abruptly and started towards the door, grabbing his Metro card and keys. He needed some clarity from the only person that could give it to him.

"Where are you off to?" Lilly asked. _What a stupid question_, Michael though and chuckled to himself.

"To go see Mia," he replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world...which it was.

"Well, Michael, first of all you're still in your boxers." He looked down and realized that this was, in fact, true. "And did I forget to mention she just left for the airport?"

[Mia's POV]

It didn't take long for the public to find out about our little _split_. I was constantly being mobbed by the paparazzi and reporters, wanting to know what went wrong. The tabloids now read, "Michael and the Princess: No More?". Lord knows how they got their information, but I wasn't about to argue with them... because it certainly did seem like my 15 minutes of happiness, and fame, had ended. I could do without the fame, surely, but the happiness I wasn't sure I could live with the lack of.

I guess it was kind of a rash decision to ditch college and move off to Genovia, but I was convinced it was the **right** decision. For once I was taking Grandmere's advice, which was rare for me. It thrilled her to pieces. But Lilly and my mother, on the other hand, were completely against it. They'd tried so hard to change my mind. Apparently they thought the only reason for my moving was my recent break-up with Michael.

Which of course, it wasn't. What a silly conclusion.

I thought back to the look at Michael's face and felt a wave of sadness wash over me. It seemed to be all my fault. I had been the one to hurt him, though I didn't know how. But the look on his face was forever implanted in my mind. It was a look of hurt. Not anger, just plain _hurt_. At this point I was pleading for him to be angry with me. I couldn't stand the thought of him being hurt by _me_, and I didn't even know how. I didn't really understand it, but maybe I was just thick. All I wanted to know was _how he felt_. Sadly, I do not have mind-reading abilities.

Not even the beautiful Genovian landscape that we were now flying over could cheer me up as I sat there in my window seat trying to keep the tears from coming. Lars handed me a tissue, but I shook my head and pulled off some sort of smile to confirm that I was okay. He sighed and returned to reading his paper. "Stop thinking about him, princess. You're only depressing yourself more. Everything will work itself out, I promise," he said, flipping the page.

"How can you be so sure?" I sighed. "Everything's all screwed up."

"And moving to Genovia permanently is supposed to solve all of your problems, right? I don't understand the way you think, princess."

I didn't reply.

"Amelia!" Grandmere greeted me as I entered through the huge double doors of the palace. She wrapped her arms lightly around my shoulders into some sort of hug that made me highly uncomfortable. Why was she so nice all of the sudden?

"Hello Grandmere," I said tactfully, adjusting my posture to her liking and smiling politely.

"Oh, it's so nice to see that you've finally come to your senses!" Grandmere exclaimed, obviously referring to my moving to Genovia, and maybe also to my recent split with _the rockstar_. "Francois will bring your things up to your suite. Your father's in the middle of a meeting with Parliament, but you will see him at dinner. I have tea with the Prime Minister's wife in an hour, so excuse me as I go and get ready. Why don't you go off and greet your cousin, Prince Rene?"

Almost as if on cue, Rene came prancing down the stairs, a mischievous smirk on his face. He spotted me and the smirk widened as he greeted me with the usual, "Amelia! My favorite cousin! How are you, lovely?" I smiled. I'd missed Rene while I was in New York. I guess over the years, after all of the balls where he was assigned as my escort and all of the times Grandmere had tried to pass us off as a couple, we had formed some sort of bond. Grandmere left with a smile on her face, apparently pleased that we were getting along.

"Just peachy," I replied.

"Oh, I bet. How's that wonderful rockstar of yours?"

"No longer mine," I said softly, staring at the floor.

"Really? But you two seemed so..." he saw the expression on my face and stopped mid-thought, "I'm guessing you don't want to talk about it." I nodded.

"Has your pimp lifestyle died down yet, or are you still on the prowl?" I asked him, quickly changing the subject.

"I don't know if I should be insulted or not!" he said. I laughed.

"What brings you here, my dear cousin?" he asked me.

"I decided it's time to stop putting it off and take up my duties." I said, not entirely truthfully. Rene chuckled.

"No, really, Mia. What's the reason."

"That's it!"

"Mia, I can read you like a book. You're nostrils are flaring. Let me guess, it was an ugly break-up with Michael, no?" I didn't doubt it. "So you decided to run away to Genovia so you would never have to see him again. Oh Mia, I thought you were braver than that..." he stopped himself. "Well, actually, no...It's what I would expect from you. So why don't you do something unexpected and go home and face your problems, hm? Besides, you shouldn't base your decision on whether or not you go to college on a _guy_."

I said nothing.

"Well, I'm off. I have a hot date that I can't miss. I will see you at dinner, my naïve little cousin."

I couldn't deny that he was right.

**[Author's Note]  
**I have't done any shout-outs for a while, so out of boredom, and also out of appreciation for all of my reviewers, here you go:

Shinaynay: Well, I happen to agree with you, because Michael is, in fact, the hottest fictional character in the world. And I'm glad that this fanfic doesn't ruin your perception of the book.  
Moonstone209: Well, yes, she should have but you know how dense Mia can be at times. And if she did tell him, then this story would be awfully boring, wouldn't it?  
ariane16: You're just going to have to keep reading to find out what happens :D  
Contraversial-roses: SEPERATION ANXIETY! Haha, I miss you too, _hun_. Yes, very angsty, I know. But...my stories are always angsty, aren't they? I should work on avoiding that. Sorry for the ramble, I have the tendency to just keep talking and talking and talking...  
hgill: Go ahead and check my other stuff out, I would greatly appreciate it. And thank you.  
Ekrith: Actually, when I first wrote the chapter it was more along the lines of anger/hatred, but I changed it to make it more...realistic? I'm glad that you prefer my final version.  
Ahhhh: Here I am updating!  
PeaceBabe: Michael and Mia never got together in high school, so the band was never named Skinner Box because Mia never came up with the idea. I haven't captured Michael's personality? Well then, I guess that gives me something to work on.  
SoCalSurferGirl: That's ok. I've been spending the summer at _my_ best friend's house, so I understand. Hahaha. Actually, Contraversial-roses house.


	9. Change of Plans

**Such ****Great********Heights****  
****Chapter Eight  
**Change of Plans****

I did not want to attend the ball that was scheduled for that night, but, apparently, there was no way to excuse myself. Grandmere had already pulled together an appointment with a stylist at the last minute and decided what I was to wear in a mere time-span of 3 hours, even with her busy schedule. I tried to argue that I was exhausted from my trip, but she refused to accept that and just waved her hand impatiently at me, indicating for me to shut my mouth and proceed to my suite, where the last-minute stylist was awaiting my arrival.

The dress was one that Sebastiano had previously created months earlier for a different ball that she had been unable to attend. It was a subtle mint-green; a slinky gown that reached down past my ankles and angled perfectly around my curves to take the attention off of my non-existent chest. After much work was done on my hair and make-up, I turned to the mirror and sighed contentedly. I actually looked, dare I say it...beautiful. Sebastiano always knew how to make me look perfectly gorgeous, and I absolutely loved him for it. It had helped my self esteem rise a lot during my awkward teenage years.

I pronounced myself ready for a night of acting _royal, _and headed towards the palace ballroom.

The ballroom was brilliantly decorated, as it always was on big occasions. I wasn't exactly sure what the occasion was intended to be on that particular night; probably some sort of political Genovian holiday or something of the sort. Somehow Grandmere had angled the ball more towards my own return to Genovia. Rene was my escort, as he always was. I could never convince Grandmere to let me choose my own escort, but by now I think I prefer Rene's company to anyone else's. Except Michael.

I mentally scolded myself. _Don't think about Michael_, I kept telling myself. _At least not tonight._

My mood must have shown on my face, because at that moment Rene returned with our drinks and asked, "Are you okay, princess? You seem more glum than usual."

"I'm fine, Rene. It's just a major case of heartbreak, is all. I'll be fine." I said, trying to be truthful for once in my life.

"Oh yes, I understand. Well, don't you worry yourself, lovely. I myself can say with confidence that it will all work itself out," he assured me confidently.

"Oh really? And how is that?" I said, amused by how certain he seemed. He was so full of himself.

"Yes, really, because you two are meant for each other," he answered me simply, but there was a spark in his eye that hinted towards something else that I was unaware of. Was he keeping something from me? But I shrugged off the eerie feeling of suspicion and took another sip of my champagne.

"And _this_," I could hear Grandmere's voice bellowing as she approached us, leading an elderly couple over towards Rene and I. "This is my Granddaughter, Amelia. She just moved from her previous home in Manhattan to take up her duties as a princess in Genovia. Awfully courageous of her, don't you agree?" The couple nodded and smiled, and I shook their hands, smiling and playing along with Grandmere's charade.

"And this is her new _beau_, Prince Rene," she continued casually, and the couple did some more smiling, followed by some more hand-shaking on Rene's part. I shared a meaningful glance with my cousin, which consisted of a covert eye-roll and a soft sigh. He returned my glance, this time accompanying it with a soft laugh, but I wasn't at all amused. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"Um, excuse me for a minute, please," I said politely, providing no explanation for my escape. I simply stalked off towards the bathrooms, keeping my tears and sobs locked inside of me until I was safely out of the public eye. I wasn't exactly sure why I was so suddenly on the verge of tears, but this had been happening a lot lately and I'd learned to become used to it.

I locked myself behind the bathroom's heavy wooden door, leaning against it and sinking to the floor. What had my life become? Everyone was right; I just kept running farther and farther away from my problems, and as a result I only dig myself into a deeper and deeper rut. Searing hot tears rolled down my cheeks, making my face red, sticky, and tear streaked. I got up and ran my face under cold water. Screw make-up. I'd survive the night with the lack thereof.

Once I had regained my composure, I took a deep breath and opened the bathroom door, ready to re-enter the ballroom with a smile on my face. But the door at the end of the hallway was awfully enticing. It lead to the gardens, I could remember _that_ much about the palace's floor plan. It was the alternate entrance to the rose gardens and the stables, as opposed to the entrance through the ballroom.

Within seconds I had formed a flawless escape route in my head. It was an awfully rebellious decision, the type of thing that I normally didn't follow through with because I was afraid of Grandmere's reaction. But at this point, I felt there was nothing else to lose.

I snuck out of the door and closed it quietly behind me. I crept around the sides of the palace, steering clear of all windows and doors as much as possible. I wouldn't go to the gardens. I would leave the palace property altogether and go to the docks. I had my mind made up. The docks were only a mile or two away, and not much of a walk. It was simple enough, considering the palace property wasn't even fenced in at the moment. The palace had been going through some renovations, and they had just recently tore down the only fences in favor of getting more state-of-the-art ones, so at the time being nothing was stopping me from crossing through the thick cluster of trees onto the side street that was located at the other side.

And that's exactly what I did.

* * *

**[Author's Note]**

pip: Haha, yeah, there were tons of great bands there. And true, Sum 41 and Blink 182 were missing, but the lineup was amazing anyway, because they DID have Thursday, Taking Back Sunday, Matchbook Romance, Coheed, etc etc.  
fizzie-lizzie: I'm still a bit unsure of where I'm going with this so far, but I promise you I'll try to avoid anything that's been overdone at all costs.  
rabbitTsukino: Thank you! Yeah, the Princess Diaries fandom is great, isn't it?  
Contraversial-Roses: I _love_ Fall Out Boy! Updated, as you can see, but I'm afraid not as soon as I would've liked to.  
Ekrith: That was my original idea: to have them make up at a party. But that whole thing kind of went down the drain, so you'll have to keep reading to find out what happens!  
hgill: Who doesn't find Rene amusing?  
Ash-of-Evenstar: It's okay to sound blonde. I do it all the time, and my hair's brown! Thanks and I'm sorry it wasn't updated sooner.  
SRAndrews, moonstone209, PeaceBabe, kazzylvschris: Here's your update! Thank youuuu.


	10. Such Great Heights

Sorry that it's taken so damn long for me to update, but I've been extremely bufy for the past few weeks. School's been killing me with homework, but now that I have some free time I'm updating with what might be the last chapter. So read it an tell me what you think.

****

**Such ****Great ********Heights**  
**Chapter Nine**

I left the tiny café substantially refreshed. My feet were bare, but I would much rather walk on bare feet that walk in heels, which were now dangling off of fingertips as I swung them around in the air. The street was completely deserted, which was something that was so rare to encounter in the Manhattan, and yet not so rare in Genovia. I took full advantage of the opportunity and started skipping down the block and singing at the top of my lungs.

"I am think it's a sign that the freckles in our eyes are mirror images and when we kiss they're perfectly aligned," I sang. The song was a favorite of mine, especially during the short period of time Michael and I were together, because I guess you can say that I related it to our relationship.

"And I," I continued belting out notes, "have to speculate that God himself—," I stopped abruptly when I realized I wasn't the only one singing.

"—did make us into corresponding shapes like puzzle pieces from the clay," the other voice finished. The voice was oddly familiar. I turned around. _No, it couldn't possibly be,_ I thought to myself. And yet, there he was.

Michael Moscovitz was standing 20 or so feet behind me, smiling and yet seeming slightly uncertain. I was completely frozen in place as he walked closer. He was staring at his feet, as if he was unsure of his actions, which was quite odd because Michael was never unsure of his actions.

It actually took a while for the whole situation to register in my mind. _What was he doing in Genovia?_

I noticed that he held my tiara in his right and, and realized that I must have left on the table at the café... thank God he had found it or Grandmere would have killed me.

"What are you doing here?" I managed to choke.

"Well," he started, "after talking with Lilly, I phoned Lars he arranged for me to get on the next flight to Genovia so I could come crash your little ball and hopefully set things right between us. But when I got there Lars told me you had snuck out--."

"He knew about that?!" I exclaimed, shocked. I thought I did the whole _sneaking out_ thing with an amazing amount of secrecy!

Michael ignored my little comment and went on. "So I came down to that café over there," he pointed down the street towards the café I had just left 10 minutes ago, "and found your tiara just sitting there on the corner table, so I knew you were around here somewhere. And it wasn't that hard to find you, he whole block must have heard you," he said, smirking. I couldn't speak. Michael took another step closer and set the tiara upon my head and taking my chin in his hands, looking me over in all of my royal glory. "I'm sorry," he said simply, stroking my cheek and smiling solemnly.

"Michael, I'm the one who should be sorry. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you, but I couldn't....I just couldn't. I was so afraid of what you would say and how you would react. In no way did I want for it to hurt you or make you angry or..." I tried to keep myself from crying. He seemed so strong standing there taking in every word I was saying, and I didn't want to be the one tom break down and cry.

"I should've realized that," he replied. "I'm sorry for the way I reacted, but I was just so _confused_, y'know?" He wiped away the tears that were now rolling down my face. "So I came here to clear things up and tell you that..._I love you_, no matter what happens."

"You don't mind that I'm a princess? I mean, you don't mind that dating me is a huge commitment?" I asked him, kind of regretting the question.

"Not at all. I would do anything for you Mia," he said, his words followed by a soft kiss planted upon my lips. What had I done to deserve such a wonderfully sweet and understanding boyfriend? I could barely even hold in my joy at this point and I laughed idiotically as he was kissing me. He pulled away and smiled. "What's so funny?"

"I love you," I said, not answering the question.

"I love you too, but how is that funny?"

I laughed some more and pulled him into another kiss.

"Hey Mia," he mumbled, pulling away. I looked at him questioningly, my arms still around his neck and our faces still inches apart. "What's this I hear about you moving here permanently?"

"Lies. All lies."

"You sure about that?"

"I've changed my mind."

"Oh really?"

I nodded. "I've decided to do exactly what I had planned previously. I'll go to college and rent and apartment with Lilly."

"And I'll come and visit all the time, because you guys'll only be a few blocks away from my apartment."

"We will?"

"Yes, I'll make sure of it."

"And while you're touring?"

"You'll come with me," he replied simply, with a smirk on his face.

"Oh, I will, will I?" I laughed.

I grabbed his hand and started walking back towards the palace. He fell into step beside me and asked, "Where are we going?"

"Back to the ball. I need to introduce everyone to my new rockstar boyfriend."

"And who is that? Jesse Lacey? Adam Lazarra? Oh, or perhaps even Robert Carmine?"

"No no no no. He's much cuter than any of them! His name's Michael Moscovitz."

"Oh yeah," Michael replied. "He's sexy." I laughed and elbowed him in the ribs.

"You're so cocky. My cocky little rockstar," I said, trying to hold back a smile.

"My beautiful little princess." I smiled like the big dork that I am as he looked down at me with his peat-bog eyes wordlessly. Finally, he sang, "They will see us waving from _such great heights_..." And then I joined in.

" 'Come down now,' they'll say.  
But everything looks perfect from far away.  
'Come down now,' but we'll stay."

The end? I dunno. It probably will be, but I _do _have mopre ideas, which would enable me to continue it. I'm not quite sure... But meanwhile, go ahead and click that purple button in the lower left hand side of your screen and review D


End file.
